Buffalo rubbing stone and wisdom

Buffalo rubbing stone and wisdom

Buffalo rubbing stones are one of the interesting natural phenomena around Calgary. During the last ice age, this entire area was covered with glaciers. As these glaciers receded, they took large boulders and rocks with them. When a rock became too heavy to be pulled from the glacier, it found a new home. Some of these stones were transported hundreds of kilometers and others were the size of a car or truck.

Later, when herds of buffalo passed through this area, they loved to rub these rocks, especially in the spring when they shed heavy winter coats. The buffalo are no longer here in the great numbers they were in the past, but the people are.

Calgary grew up around a number of these stones. People are almost as attracted to them as the buffalo. Many of them are popular tourist attractions. A relatively small buffalo rub lives in a park in my neighborhood. It is tucked away in a small grove of quaking aspens and surrounded by honeysuckle bushes, sage and wild asters. When the area was developed, this park was left untouched and set aside as natural prairie land.

The neighborhood school regularly takes children on field trips to the stone as part of their study of the area's natural history. I remember my own children coming home excited about this rock and telling stories about buffalo hair that was found in the rock long after the buffalo disappeared.

The stone has the look and feel of great age as it is covered in lichen and some moss. It stands about shoulder height to me and is about six feet long and three feet wide. This rock almost demands awe. I find it interesting that it has remained untouched by the youth of the area, while another smaller stone about fifteen meters away in the woods is covered in graffiti and paint.

What does a buffalo rubbing stone have to do with wisdom? What is wisdom? The human mind has been a great mystery to philosophy and science for eons. Our entire life experience is created by our perceptions and our perceptions are colored by our beliefs. No two people will perceive the same event in exactly the same way. It's a miracle we even get along.

To me, a wise mind uses its perceptions well, no matter how old or young the owner is. The key to wisdom lies in understanding your perceptions and their underlying beliefs. And also to understand that no other person will see anything the way you do. This is sometimes refreshing and sometimes downright annoying. Perhaps this is the birth of compassion.

Humans generally assign great wisdom to beings of great age. Our stories are full of them. Think of Merlin, Gandalf the Wizard and the Ents, tree shepherds from the ancient Fangorn Forest in The Lord of the Rings.

We have many layers of consciousness and/or perception in our minds. One of these layers provides a connection to great knowledge and wisdom. Carl Jung called this the “collective unconscious.” I call it my “Inner Sage.”

When I have a problem or question that I feel needs the input of deep inner wisdom or knowledge, I enter a meditative state, quiet my mind and ask my inner sage to come forward. If my mind is quiet enough, I will feel his presence. Then I ask my question, clear my mind and listen. When I receive an answer (usually the first thoughts that come to mind), it is still my decision whether to follow it or not.

Since the ancient buffalo rubbing stone in our park reminds me so much of my inner sage, I thought I would have some fun one day and create the perception of introducing them to each other. I offer you this perception for your pleasure.

Leaning against the stone, I connected with my inner sage and asked what wisdom a buffalo rubbing stone would share if it could speak. I cleared my head, pen and paper in hand and this is what I heard. "Ancient is just a state of mind, as is wisdom. Wisdom and knowledge are accessible to all, no matter what age. I have seen many ages come and go and people don't change. Their opinions do. Where is your mind now? Does it help you? Wise people are a gift to each other and I encourage each of you to find the wisdom within. How do you know true wisdom? It supports all life. I am as old as eternity and have never seen anything shine so brightly bright like a wise person. Know that you are loved beyond measure by your planet and its beings.”